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Wow! That is the first word that comes to mind when I think of this book. It was pure magic for me. I grabbed it from the library as soon as I saw it on the shelf. I must admit that I had never heard of the book or the author, but was attracted to the colors on the cover. Now I know you can't judge a book by its cover, but in this case I did. The cover gives no synopsis, just some blurbs and quotes from people who have read it. I didn't know what to expect, but after the first chapter I was hook
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To me, the mark of a good book is when you don't want to see it end. And when it does end, you can't stop thinking about it. That's how this book was to me. The characters were so richly drawn that I actually felt like they could be real people. When some of the injustices happened I had to remind myself that this was fiction. Sara Gruen writes this amazing story against a backdrop of the Great Depression and that adds so much to the story. I can't say too much about it without giving away impor
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I started this book at 2pm Saturday afternoon and was immediately drawn in. I didn't want to put it down and consequently finished it in one sitting. I will give a more detailed review after the rest of our book group had finished it.
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This is a book for anyone old enough to remember being excited that the circus was in town...or wanted to run away and join the circus. For the rest of you, this book is sure to please as well just because of how well-written it is.
An inside look on the life and times of a traveling circus in the early 1900s, recollected through the aged eyes of Jacob Jankowski--who may be 90 or 93, he can't remember. This story is a warts and all look at how circuses were really run and how the acts and animals ...more
An inside look on the life and times of a traveling circus in the early 1900s, recollected through the aged eyes of Jacob Jankowski--who may be 90 or 93, he can't remember. This story is a warts and all look at how circuses were really run and how the acts and animals ...more
I enjoyed this book. It was interesting to read about the old traveling circuses and what life might have been like. Given our never-ending ability to find entertainment on the web, it's hard to put myself back into a time and place where the traveling circus was a really amazing and novel thing. Nice characterization, nice easy writing style.
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This book about a circus in the 1930s did not interest me at first because of its subject matter. However, after I heard such good things about it, I read it and I am so glad that I did. The story is very interesting and the ending satisfying, but the animal abuse in certain sections may be difficult for some readers to take.
What a wonderful book. I came to it with no expectations and was drawn into both the world of the circus and the "assisted living" home. Vivid, complex characters and one pretty darn smart "stupid" elephant!
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Feb 13, 2008
Kellie Demarsh
added it
this book gave me new insight to how the circus really was
Oct 31, 2007
Sava Hecht
added it
Dec 14, 2007
Nicole
marked it as to-read
Jan 24, 2008
Rebecca
marked it as to-read
Feb 16, 2008
Martine
marked it as to-read
Mar 03, 2008
Ceci
marked it as to-read
Mar 13, 2008
Angela Avery
marked it as to-read
